When I heard that the PediGrab will be tested in Dumaguete, I said, “wow!”
For those who haven’t heard of it, it’s a mode of transport that looks like a ‘glamorized’ tricycle and operates like the taxi Grab which is very popular in other Asian cities such as Singapore and Malaysia.
This transport scheme makes use of an app wherein the prospective rider sends a text message and, in a few minutes, the unit is there right at his doorstep to pick him up. I’ve personally tried this taxiGrab several times in Singapore with my family.
Let me first enumerate the upsides of this mode of transportation.
With the PediGrab, the unbearable time spent for waiting under the scorching heat of the sun is over. No more argument or “begging” as to where one is headed to or whether the driver is willing to let you get on board. No more arguments about fare. The PediGrab already prints it on the rider’s cellphone screen prior to the ride.
While I seldom ride on pedicabs, still, I believe that this is a welcome innovation here in the city. With the current administration’s penchant of modernizing Dumaguete, the PediGrab is a ‘novelty’ item that does not destroy the city’s environment. Of course, the present pedicabs roaming around the City are environmentally-friendly as all their motorcycles have 4-stroke engines which are compliant to the Clean Air Act of the Philippines.
While it is still on its “testing” stage, any additional number of units of vehicle for “testing” purposes will certainly add to the congestion problem. On the other hand, if the plan is acceptable to pedicab drivers to shift to pediGrab system this may help with traffic decongestion, granting that the same current number of 2,500 units is maintained.
Since the PediGrab will just go to specific destinations as per instruction from the prospective rider, there will no longer be any “roaming” pedicabs in major thoroughfares. This means the number of motorized cabs-for-hire plying the streets will decline. Also, there will be a decreased number of motor cabs parked in sidewalks. So, perhaps, Dumaguetnons can now enjoy using their sidewalks, which also means less accidents because nobody will be forced to walk on the danger sides of the streets because the sidewalks are now available for them.
However, I do have reservations about the app. Obviously, this is no problem to young riders who are very much at home with technology. But what about those who are not that proficient with gadgets? And the senior citizens, will they be comfortable with this type of securing transportation? And what about those who do not have cellphones? Or those who cannot afford to buy mobile gadgets?
Also, I am hoping that if the plan proceeds, the city government through the Traffic Management Office will conduct thorough seminars on this before it starts full-blast operations.
Innovation is a good thing. But, let us just make sure that before we utilize anything new, we are all aware of how it really works, and that both the pedicab drivers and the commuters shifting to this mode will not be economically dislocated.
Furthermore, we need an assurance that the economic and environmental benefits of such PediGrab is better than the present scheme, and that it is sustainable.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
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